Friday, February 26, 2010

The woman at the well was changed forever after her encounter with Jesus. He told her things about herself that she had been in denial about. God can illuminate areas necessary for growth in a way that makes us aware of just how much He loves us. The Biblical symbol of the well is a place of fresh, sustaining water. To “come to the Well” spiritually is to come to God to fill afresh of his life giving water. His water is necessary for every season of our lives. It is what teaches us, shapes our lives and gives us direction for the future. We don’t ever want to forget where he has brought us from because God will use our past to minister to another. A prayer journal can be a vital tool for remembering where we have come from and finding direction for our future.

There are actually 2 lessons regarding prayer journals that can help us incorporate this tool into our personal time with the Lord.

1. The importance of Memorials for spiritual growth and for teaching others.

2. The impact of WORDS in our lives.

Let’s take a quick look at a time when God instructs his people to leave a memorial for His provision through a trial.

Memorials

As the children of Israel came upon the Jordan River with the Ark of the Covenant, it seemed an impossible task to cross this body of water, but Joshua sought God and God directed him as to how he would lead them through this trial, and thankfully, someone wrote it all down….here we go….

7And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.

Joshua 3:8 – Learning to wait on God

8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear the Ark of the Covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.

Joshua 3:13- The promise unfolded before them

13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the LORD of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.

Joshua 3:17 – Passing through the trial

17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

Joshua 4:8- God told Joshua to have the Israelites take 12 stones from the midst of the Jordan River to be placed on the other side of the Jordan for a memorial.

8 And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.

*THEY BROUGHT SOMETHING OUT OF THE MIDST OF THEIR TRIAL.*

THEY COULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN THOSE STONES UNLESS THEY HAD WALKED THROUGH THE MIDST OF THE RIVER (OR THEIR TRIAL).

Joshua 4:9 - Joshua also set 12 stones in the middle of the Jordan River as a memorial of where they came through, as proof that they had been there.

9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the Ark of the Covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.

When we utilize the tool of a prayer journal, we have a memorial of where He has brought us from and how Jesus provides for our every trial.

There are certain lessons that we will never learn, except through a trial and if we carry a stone out of the midst of that trial as a remembrance, it can become a ROCK that we can build upon.

WORDS

You may think words on a page are just ink. But, truly what we should aspire to is JUST INK.

Recently I was inspired to begin a blog and I do believe the Lord gave me the title, JUST INK. In a world where anything can be printed, we need a place where what is printed is JUST.

Dictionary.com says:

JUST: adj. Guided by truth, reason, justice, and fairness. In keeping with truth or fact.

Our culture today uses words very loosely. Words like love, hate, perfect or stupid are used so frequently that their value seems to be diminished. God, however, has carefully chosen the precise words to give us direction for our daily lives, and when we are communicating with God through prayer, it is an opportunity to put our feelings into words. At times our verbal prayers may seem to lack direction or fail to fully expose the depth of gratitude or need at the given time. Taking the time to put your conversation with God on paper can help you to clearly express yourself. There is also something amazing that happens when you establish the habit of journaling. As you begin to write, there often times is an immediate attitude change. Sometimes you can immediately recognize an angered spirit, or an area that your focus is in the wrong direction. Oftentimes, you can walk away from your prayer journal feeling like you have taken a tangled mess to God and He has helped you to sort it out and given you insight for strategic battle.

Journaling is a place of transparency and is an opportunity to take a look at situations that are troubling you and forces you take account of your blessings.

Tips for Success:

1. Pick a journal, and stick with the same one. Hopping from journal to journal can make it difficult to see your spiritual growth as you use this tool.

2. Journaling does not have to be done every day, but it is a good goal to try and journal at least once a week. You may even want to make it a Saturday Morning quiet time, or a time that fits your schedule.

3. Put your journal in a place that you have access to it readily; by your Bible, in a nightstand, etc..

Here is a small sampling from my prayer journal:

{God, I don't know what or when or how but I am calling on you for help. Strengthen the soul that you have blessed me with. Change my thoughts so that I am not tormented constantly by the things that are not the way I think they should be. Give me a strength in the face of opposition that doesn't waiver. As I write, I see the problems of my own ways. It is not about me, but I seem to make it about me. Let me decrease, so that you may increase. Other People Minded....Lord, increase. It is not about me.

When our deepest desire is not the things of God, or a favor from God, but God himself, we cross a threshold. Less self-focus, more God-focus. Less about me, More about Him. IT'S NOT ABOUT ME by Max Lucado

I could look around and find fear, or look at my father and find faith. I choose my father's face.}

Let’s take a few minutes to apply this concept of prayer journaling by using this simple framework for journaling:

*3 things that you are most grateful to the Lord

*2 areas in which you desire to see God change circumstances or help you grow.

*Prayer needed for others

Try it out! You may find that a prayer journal is exactly what you need to deepen your walk with the Lord.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Friends are amazing. True friends know you so well that they can read even the slightest expression or body language. They can tell just by the way you answer the phone if things are good or bad. Friends help to shape our lives.

~The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship. (adapted) Ralph Waldo Emerson